44

PORT HAWKESBURY AUTO FERRY DOCK - Port Hawkesbury was the gateway to Cape Breton Island at its auto ferry docks until May 20th, 1955 when the Canso Causeway was unofficially opened.
The Plant Line Wharf is the big wharf on the right which did a brisk business in the early part of the century. Boston Boats and other passenger liners made scheduled stops.

45

Line up of 154 cars on Granville Street back as far as Embree's Island waiting to get on car ferry.
1954
Port Hawkesbury, Inverness County, Nova Scotia, Canada

46

LONG LINE UPS COMMON BY THE 1950'S -Orean West, son of ferry worker J. A. West, wrote in 1984 of the line-ups in memoirs for the Port Hastings Historical Society.
"During the early years of the 50's, the traffic was so heavy at times that even having both ferries running could not prevent long lines of traffic forming... in Mulgrave and Port Hawkesbury. Labour Day weekend was the worst on record. On Labour Day, 1954, there were at one time 154 vehicles waiting to get across the Strait from Port Hawkesbury. Traffic was lined up from the ferry terminal to Embree's Island".

47

Auto ferry John Cabot
1953
Strait of Canso, Nova Scotia, Canada

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THE JOHN CABOT'S ACCIDENTS - The John Cabot was the last government purchased auto ferry for the Strait of Canso. It encountered two mishaps in the years leading up to the opening of the Canso Causeway - a collision on September 13th,1952 with the CNR steamship Canadian Victor and a fire on May 2nd, 1955.
The top picture shows her after the collision and the bottom in the Port Hawkesbury Marine Railway Shipyard in Point Tupper under repairs.

49

The Strait of Canso ferry
1950
Port Hawkesbury, Inverness County, Nova Scotia, Canada

50

The Tourist Information Bureau on the Port Hawkesbury waterfront was built in 1939. It was moved to Port Hastings after the completion of the Canso Causeway in 1955. After add ons and expansions to the building, it has continued serving the travelling public's needs up to the present time in 2005 at the entrance to Cape Breton Island.

51

Ferry service sign
May, 1955
Port Hawkesbury, Inverness County, Nova Scotia, Canada

52

CAR FERRY SERVICE DISCONTINUED - On May 20th,1955, at 12:45 pm., according to Oreon West, the George H. Murray made it's last run from Mulgrave to it's dock in Port Hawkesbury.
The John Cabot and the George H. Murray, were transferred to the Ross Ferry service and used elsewhere on Cape Breton Island.

53

Train ferry, Scotia II's Last Run
14 May 1955
Point Tupper Rail Yard

54

THE END OF A WAY OF LIFE - With the completion of the Canso Causeway and Canal, train ferry service was discontinued on the Strait of Canso on May 14,1955. Many of the men were forced to leave the area to find work, often leaving families behind as they weren't able to sell their homes.

55

Scotia II train ferry
May, 1955
Strait of Canso, Nova Scotia, Canada

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SCOTIA II MOVED - Following the discontinuation of ferry service in the Strait of Canso in 1955, Canadian National Railways put the Scotia II into service in the Northumberland Strait. In the 1960's, CN relocated the ferry once again, as explained in this article, from Nov. 1968: "Canadian National announced Friday that the train ferry Scotia II will be withdrawn from the fleet operating between Cape Tormentine, N.B., and Borden, P.E.I.
"The ferry, which began its career more than 50 years ago, moving rail cars across the Canso Strait... has been used as a relief ferry on the Northumberland Strait service since 1955, when the Canso Causeway was completed.
J.W.G. MacDougall, CN vice-president for the Atlantic Region, said the ferry will be put in service at Windsor Ont..."

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Scotia II train ferry leaving the Strait of Canso after the completion of the Canso Causeway in 1955
1955
Canso Canal, Strait of Canso, Canada